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C. BJKIRKHAM- RADIATOR FOR AIRPLANES.

APPLICATION HLED DEC.23, 1918- 1,398,330. Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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anvenfo'c CHARLES aKmm-mnc. B. KIRKHA M. RADIATOR FOR AIRPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED -DEC-23, 1948.

,398,330, Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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5] nvewfo'o CHARLES BKm -HAM.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFI'CE.

CHARLES B. KIBKHAM, OF NASSAU BOULEVARD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CURTISS AEROJPLANE AND I /IOTOR CQRPOBATION, 0.? BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

RADIATOR FOR AIRPLANES.

Application filed December 23, 1918.

plished by locating the radiator or radiator sections (the radiator preferably comprises opposed sections) at opposite sides of the fuselage or body at or near its point of maximum cross section. Experiments show that the density of he air and the velocity of its flow at the sides of the fuselage, at or near the points mentioned, is somewhat greater than at oints resnectivel fore and aftdue primarily to the pressure distribution caused by the translation of the body through the air. Especially is this true where the fuselage or body is of substan tially streamline form and continuously curvilinear in cross section. Accordingly by locating the radiator sections in such relation to the fuselage or body as to take advantage of the above air conditions, its cooling efficiency is increased, its size abruptly reduced and the head resistance or drag out to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to construct the radiator or radiator sections per sein a manner such that it (the radiator) will offer a minimum of resistance regardless of its location with respect to the body of the machine. Instead of presenting the radiator flatwise to the air as heretofore, it is designed for presentation edgewise to the air. Preferably it comprises a plurality of series of vertically extending hollow flat plates arranged substantially in parallelism one aft of the other and in such relation to each other that the air acts successively upon the plates of the several series. The headers of the radiator are either inclosed partly within the confines of one or more of the flight resisting masses of the machine (preferably the supporting surfaces or wings) or are so constructed and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

Serial No. 267,944.

shaped as to lie flat against it or them. In either event, the resistance of the radiator considered as a whole is minimized.

Other characteristics of the invention such as the location and relation of the radiator sections to the supporting surfaces will be hereinafter more fully explained. The scope of the invention, however, will be ointed out in the claims.

f the drawings:

Figure l is a front end elevation of an airplane of the triplane type showing the preferred construction and arrangement of the opposed radiator sections and the location of the radiator sections relatively to the fuselage or body of the machine as well as the supporting surfaces or wings.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the radiator sections.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the radiator section illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a plan view of the radiator section; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the connection between the hollow flat plates and the headers.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is disclosed, the numeral 10 designates the fuselage or body of an airplane of the triplane type. The body 10 is preferably of substantially streamline form and of the Monocoque type. it is continuously curvilinear in cross section throughout substantially its full length,

the point of maximum cross section being nearer its forward end than its tail end. Within the forward end, the motor (not shown) of the propelling power plant is inclosed. The motor is of the watercooled type utilizing a radiator or radiators and is provided with a tractor screw or propeller 11. The motor, the radiator or radiators and the propeller (there may be more than one propeller) constitute the propelling power plant. The invention, however, as intimated, relates to the radiator construction and to its location and relation to the fuselage or body 10 and to the supporting surfaces or wings of the machine.

Since the density of the air and the velocity of its flow is greatest at the sides of the fuselage at or near its point of maximum cross section, obviously there is a big advantage in locating the radiator or radiators within the path of the air stream thus characterized. Not only are the radiator or radiators subjected to the cooling influence of the disturbed air but as a result of their increased cooling efficiency, the radiation surface per motor horse power is decreased. The radiator herein disclosed comprises op posed radiator sections 1212. These sections are located respectively at opposite sides of the fuselage preferably between the intermediate and lower supporting surfaces 13 and 14: of the triplane disclosed. The supporting surfaces 13 and 1 extend laterally out from the fuselage at points at or near its maximum cross section and since the radiator sections are located between the supporting surfaces, they are of necessity located at or near the point of maximum cross section of the body. Viewed from either the front or rear, the radiator sections may be described as substantially concavo-conveX as this configuration is particularly well suited to the continuously curvi linear body against the sides of which they are disposed. In other words, the shape of the opposed radiator sections is such that they, the sections, conform to the shape of the body and in consequence break the air flow at the sides of the body to the least possible extent. The radiator sections are each provided with headers 15 and 16. The shape of the headers 15 (see Fig. 2) is such that they conform substantially to the curvature of the underneath surface of the intermediate supporting surface 18 while the shape of the headers 16 is such that they conform substantially to the configuration of the top surface of the lower supporting surface 14. The headers 15, unlike the headers 16, are each provided with a vertical enlarge ment 17 which is inclosed wholly within the confines of the supporting surface 13. They are also provided with enlargements 18 for the filler plugs. The extensions 18 are preferably carried above the supporting surface 13 as indicated in Fig. 1. Tu this way access to the filler plugs may be obtained. In addition to the enlargement 17 formed upon the headers 15, the header 15 is provided with an extension 19 and the header 16 with an extension 20. These extensions are carried inside the fuselage and connected respectively with the water manifold (not shown) and the water pump (not shown) of the motor.

The headers of the radiator sections 12 are interconnected by a plurality of vertically extending hollow flat plates 21. These fiat plates are deep and narrow and preferably arranged in a fore and aft series for presentation edgewise to the air. The ends of the hollow flat plates are either brazed or welded as indicated at 22 in Fig. 5 to the headers 15 and 16 and being hollow they admit of the free circulation of the water or other cooling agent through them. As a means for holding the hollow flat plates of the respective fore and aft series uniformly apart, number of spacers 23 are provided. These spacers not only tend to space the hollow flat plates apart but they also tend to strengthen the radiator sections. Being deep and narrow the hollow flat plates will offer a minimum of resistance to the air while collectively the flat plates will offer even less resistance since the air acting upon them acts upon them successively without undue disturbance.

Due to the pressure distribution caused by the translation of the supporting surfaces through the air at a slight angle of incidence, the air directly beneath the intermediate supporting surface 13 is characterized by a slight increase in density and velocity flow. This condition together with the atmospheric conditions set up by the translation of the body through the air tends to still further increase the cooling efiiciency of the radiator. Experiments have been made,first with the radiator sections spaced out from the sides of the fuselage between the supporting surfaces 13 and 1a and thereafter with the radiator sections close up against the sides of the fuselage intermediate said supporting surfaces. The latter experiment shows conclusively that better results are obtained by locating the radiator sections as herein pointed out. Such betterment is believed to be due primarily to the fact that the radiator sections and the body ofier a flight resisting mass in which the radiator sections and the body constitute a unit and accordingly interfere with the air flow past the fuselage to the least possible extent. By locating the radiator sections at the points where the velocity and density of the air is greatest the cooling efiiciency of the radiator is increased without a proportionate increase in the size of the radiation surface. By shaping the radiator sections as specilied, the resistance is still further reduced. In fact, all things considered, it is believed that a construction and arrangement is herein disclosed which is conducive to the very best possible results. Certainly the arrangement and construction of the radiator sections is a big step in the advancement of the art.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understanding my invention, thatvarious changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What is claimed is: i

1. In an airplane, the combination, of a body, airplane wings, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor including spaced headers arranged to engage with separate airplane wings.

2. In an airplane, the combination, of a body, airplane wings, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor intermediately located between superposed airplane wings, said radiator comprising separate headers arranged to engage one heacer with each of the superposed wings.

3. In an airplane, the combination, of a body, airplane wings, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor including a header and a header extension, the header being arranged to engage with one of the airplane wings and the extension being arranged to project through such wing to extend beyond and away from the opposite surface thereof.

4. In an airplane, the combination, of a body, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor arranged between the superposed wings close up against one side of the body, the upper and lower ends of the radiator being arranged to bear directly on said wings.

5. In an airplane, the combination of a body, airplane wings extended out laterally from the body, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor comprising opposed radiator sections located close up against the sides of the body between the airplane wings, each radiator section including a header having a portion of its projected area inclosed within the confines of the wings.

6. In an airplane, the comblnation of a body of substantially streamline form, airplane wings extended out laterally from the body, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor comprising opposed radiator sections located close up against the body at or near its point of maximum cross section, each radiator section including a header having a portion of its projected area inclosed within the confines of the wings.

7. In an airplane, the combination of a body, airplane wings extended out laterally from the body, a water cooled motor, and a radiator for the motor comprising opposed radiator sections located at opposite sides of the body between the airplane wings, each radiator section including a header of the configuration designed todie flat against the adjacent surfaces of the wings.

8. In an airplane, the combination of a body, airplane wings extended out laterally from the body, a water cooled motor, a radiator for the motor comprising opposed radiator sections located between the airplane wings, each radiator section including spaced h aders arranged to lie contiguous to different airplane wings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

CHARLES B. KIRKI-IAM. 

